Electric-sign letter.



No; 835,848. y

PATENED NOV. 13

C. A. CHASE.

Mm T. TA

HUG

PPA

- nsrrnn srnfrns rn'rnnr ersten.

CHARLES A. CHASE, or CHICAGO, iLLiNois.` ersormceiew LETTER.

No. ceases.

Specicetcn 'ofi Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13, 1906.

essere@ sed April lafieo. serai Nn. zamen.

' ters, and has for its object to provide new end line 8 .8 of

lses

improved constructions for devices of this sort.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying rewings, wherein,

igure l is a front elevation; Fig. 2, a to view of the same; Fig. 3, a view oi the bac r section with the front section removed; Fig. 4, an enlarged sectional view on line 4 4 of Fig. l Fig. 5, a similar view of a4 modification; Fig. 6, a similar view of another modification; Fig. 7, a front view of a differentl form of letter, end 8 an enlarged sectional view on Like letterz of referencefindicate like parts in all the drawings. l i

The invention relates to hollow electricsign letters made with a removable section or sections and adapted for use under widely diiiering conditions.

. Referring particularly to Figs.\1`*to 6,.in-'

elusive, A. represents the letter or other character upcn'which the lamps are adaptedv to be set. The letter is preferably composed of a. back section A', which, shown, is a dish- 'shaped piece of metal stamped out or manulectured by galvanic or -other process and provided with the flange A252., A. represents the front section of the lettei,which may be made of like material' end with the llange A4. The two sections are held together 'by' the bolts A5 A5 and nuts A A or in-any desired manner. The section Aa'has the circuler apertures A7 A? for the lamps. In my preferred type of letter there are two dish-shaped sections of equal depth; but this construction is not essential. Broadly, the letter consists of two parts, forming a chamber, one of these arts being removable from the sign or the ot er part of the letter. .y

The lamps may be disposed on the letter by any desired arrangement. Where incandescent electric lights of the ordinary t e are used, the particular construction of t e letter here shown permits the use of a diversity of forms of lamp-socket. As shown in Fig. 4, the sockets may be held in position by the clamping action of the sections A A5.

B represents a lamp-.of ordinary type, E i

the usual threaded anniilus ometal surrounding the stein and which screws into the porcelain socketv B2. The electrical connections are made by means of the'annulus B', contact-linger B3, connected with the binding-post B4, the electrode B5 on the lamp, and the electrode B of the socket, u on which is the binding-post B7. A strip l of wood or other material, apertured and hav- I ing the lips C', is interposed between the sockets and the outer section A3. I refer, also, to lace a rubber gasket C2 between the socket 2 and the strip C. When the sections of .the letter are secured together, the strip C holds the sockets in position.

In Fig. 5 I have shown the'ordinary form of lamp-socket, (indicated generally by the letter 1),) which may be secured to the back section A by means ot the bolt D and the nut D.

ln Fig. 6 the device is shown es adapted fcrf use in connection with a different style of lamp-socket.. Here the socket is made in two pieces with the part E, of orcelain or other insulating material, place inside the letter and which has the socket part E screw-threaded to receive on the inside the lampand on the outside the ring E2, by means of Which the device is clamped to the front section A3 of the letter.

rllhe letters may be fastened onto the sign permenently and in any desired manner. For example, as shown in Fig. 6, the back section E may be screwed onto the framework F of thesign by the screw E", and in that cese it is desirable to aperture the sign at E3 and provide the letter with the thimble E4, having the lining of porcelain E5, through which an electric conductor may pass.

My letter, however, is particularly adapted to he removably set in e. framework with other letters or characters of like 'construction, so as to form temporary arrangementsas, for example, Words or other designs or devices. This construction of letter is particularly shown in Fig. 4, w ere the frame` cornprises `the part F, whic is provided with slots F, preferably oblique in direction. The letters are suspended by means of the brackets G G, which enter this slot, there be- 1 ing preferably two ofthese'for each letter, as shown in Fig. 2. These brackets are made hollow and are secured to the back of the letter by the bolts G h". The letter is also apertured at G2 Gzand the brackets provided with the interior lining of insulation G3. The brackets therefore serve the double purpose oi supporting the letter on the framework and of a'lliording an insulated passageway for the Wires leading to the lamps.v The lamps may be connected up in parallel h v the conductors H lzl, the terminals of which extend one through each ol" the apertures Gv3 G2, as is shown in Fig. 2%.

In Fig. 8 I have shown a modified form ol sign-letter in which the liront section is made ol'` glass. 'Phe back section l in this type. ot letter may be stamped out ol sheet metal or made in any desired manner and is provided with the lip J and a forwardly- ,rojectiim` llange J2, apertured for the screws J" J3. The 'front section JL is made ot" glass and is held in position between the lip J and the screws J3 J3. In order not to make the litter too deep, the lamps in this form of device maj; be placed,horizontally within the letter. An angle-iron K., secured to the hack section J, serves as a support l'or the soclet li', which 'may he secured thereto in any desired man-- nor. ln Fig. S l have shown a form of socket similarto that illustrated in Fig.

l have thus described certain ccneretc llorms ol'v a )paratus in which my invention may be embodied; but it will he obvious that considerable change might be made in lorm and construction and that the materials used might be changed without departing' from the spirit ol! 'my inventioli, l have illustrated and described the arrangement ol' parts formingr thc letter lll. ()l` course it isv intended that the sign shall comprise a number olz ditlerent letters orcharactcrs rconir ingjr perhapssome change in the arrangement olI the part s accordingr to circuinstances. llccansc ol' these c msidcrations vl do not wish to limit nrvscll: to thc particular lorins, devices, and constructions here shown, but desir:l thatV thcfdran'ings shall be taken as in a sense diayjrznlunatic and illustrative olI the principles ol my invention as set yl'ort h in certain concreto and practical lorins. 'when thc word -lettcr"` is nscd in thi` spccilication and claims this term is intended to cover not only thc characters ol' the alphabet., but un)4 i'lniluftci, device, lsymbol, or decorative lorm or design.

'lhc usc and operntimi of in v device will perhaps have been nuulc snlliciently clear h v thc l'orcuoing'. rl`h maki'npr oll thc lcttcr in two sections has several adwtntae'is among which are convenience in asscmblini,r and thc opportunit)y l'or using;- a, variety4 ol` sockets. as

is,sho\v1\.. Since the iront section ol the lcttcr is removable l'roin the sign, it is velr casj; to malic repairs, put in new sockets and the like wit hout disturbing thc other parts ol' the sign. Where the letter is nladc ol` t-\\'o dish shaped sections oll equal dcpth, which is one ol'- thc prcl'cricd lormsol construction, it will bo obvious that there can be a considerable) saving made in patterns and. molds on all letters or other devices which are symmetrical, since both the bottom and top sections may be 'formed on the saine mold. This fill be true, 'tor exam ile, in the letters A H N O S T U V W X Z. By inverting the parts the upper sections 'of' certain letters and charactors mayr also be made on the saine mold as the lower sectiol'is of other letters or characters. This involves a considera-ble saving in manufacture. The letters'a-re preferably made by stampingr them from sheet metal, or theyY may he made by the galvanic )rocess or in an)r other preferred Way. l hen they are stamped, it has heen 'found that it is only practical to stamp the metal to a depth olE about one-half the depth oli the letter. This lorins an additional reason for making the letters in two synnnetrical parts/asl prefer to do. (.llwiouslivv it will, however, not be necessary to make the letters like that und er all cireunistames.

When the letters are combined to makeup 'a temporary Word, or device, the Work of arrangement is very simple, the letters merely being hung in the proper slots in the sign, the Wires ol each. letter extending ont through t he bracket so as to he easily vconnected up with the service-conductors. When the style ol socle-ds shown in Figs. it and 6 is used, 'the letter is practically Water-tight,

which 'has' the advantae'e ol' notectinr the" t? wiring' and connections. The )rejecting lip or llanlgc, ln' means olz which tlie removable section astened to the rest of tue device, besides its mechanical advantage is an ornament al t'caturc. lt may be decorated in another celor lronrt he bod)v of the letter.

l claimVY l t. ln an electric. sign, the immhination of a' support ing-traine with an elect-risign letter, and a bracket rigidl)Y attxufhcd to the buck of t uc lei ter h v means ol which the saidlettcr 1s snspemled on the h'an1e,sueh lnaclwt having a passage-\\f.t`\ lor an electric wire.

2. ln an elect ric sign, the miinlnnatson ol a IOO IOS

IIO

supportinn-trame with a hollow elcctris'ign."

letter, and a bracketrigidly attached to the hach ol1 the` letter by means of which said letter is suspended on the trame, such lnacket havinp7V n passage-way' lor an electric, Wire comnmnicating: with the interior ol the letter.v

Il. ln an electric sign the combination olE a. supportinil'ramc with a hollow i-lect-ric--sign lct ter and an oblitp'ul donnwardlv-extending bracket rigidly at tachcd tothe upper part ol'` tlu letter lortninig a hook b meansoliivliich said letter is snspemled an the 1l'ramesnch brachct having a passafhrcavav for an electric, wire communiwatin eV with thc interiin oi' the letter, .i

Lft, ln an eicctritI sign, thi` combination ol' a supportingd'ramc havinpr an oblique slot c.\'-

. tendinir downwardly therethrough with an elect ricl gn letter, and a. hracl et rigidly atseegeee gether et the ianges, a plurality of lamp- Io sockets in the chember'formed by such sections and a bracket rigidly attached to the beek section and having a, perforation communiceting with the interior of said letter.

CHARLES A. CHASE.

tacliefl to the upper part of the letter to cX- teiifl inte the slot7 by mearis of which said let teris suspended on the frame, such bracket having e passage-wey for an electric Wire.y

.5. in an electric sign a signeletter comprising e, sheet-metal dishsha ed back section, t sheet-metal dish-shaped ont section, such sections heilig symmetrical and formed With langes ineens for securing the sections to- Witnesses:

PERCIVAL H. TRUMAN, LUCY A. FALKENBERG. 

